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Topic: Lard (Read 3890 times)

I remember seeing on a woman on TV showing how to make Peach Cobbler from her new cookbook she was taunting. About halfway through the recipe she said, “Do it like this not like my cookbook shows you. My editor made me change all of my recipes to make them more healthy” Said the book wouldn’t sell if used lard and such.” With that said she dump a giant scoop of butter in the pan.

I've read several articles that say that lard is actually better (healthier) than using butter or shortening. I wonder why it's gotten such a bad rap? Lard is essential for making genuine Mexican dishes.

Lard, unlike vegetable oil stays firm at room temperature without any help. To make Crisco(vegetable oil), additives are necessary to make it firm. Those are the bad guys. That is why spray margarine is better for you than stick margarine.

Butter: contains a lot of saturated fatty acids and cholesterol and as everybody knows increases the possibility of Arteriosclerosis.

Margarine: consists of a mixture of varying levels of different vegetable oils. While the vegetable oils are or were for the large part considered being healthy, most margarines are made by “hydrogenating” the fluid oils to make them “hard” or spreadable. The otherwise multiple unsaturated fatty acids are converted to simple saturated fatty acids which are again not that healthy.

If you are going to use margarine, look for one that contains no hydrogenated oils. Since I live in Germany, I can’t give you any brand names. The brands sold here have no equivalents in the US or Canada. Here they are sold as “diet or reform margarines”.

Try to avoid the use of baking margarines or Crisco (hydrogenated Palm oils) they contain too many trans fatty acids which are known to also increase cholesterol levels and the risk of diabetes (trans fatty acids make the cell membranes impassable and thus makes it difficult for insulin to enter the cell kernel).

In Europe, olive oil (78% unsaturated fats) and rap seed oils (94% unsaturated fats and high on Omega 3 fatty acids) are very popular. But butter is as well very generously used. As always keep in mind:

“Enjoy everything, eat what you like but keep everything in good balance"